The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-04-14

gospel, draw forth all the nibbling and
burrowing annoyances of your life, and
play them down into the depths forever.
How many touches did the artist give
to his picture of 'sCotopaxi' or his s'Heari
of the Andesr' I suppose about fifty
thousand touches. hear the canvas say
ing:
'sWhy do you keep me trembling with
that pencil so longa Why don't you put
it on in one dash2"
"No,n says the artist" know how to
make a painting; it will take $4,000 OF
these touches.n
And 1 want you, my friends, to under.
stand that it is these ten thousand annoy.
ances which, under God, are making up
the picture of your life, to be hung at last
in the galleries of Heaven fit for angels to
look at God knows how to make a pict-
ure.
go into sculptor's studio, and see him
shaping statue. He has a chisel in one
hand and mallet in the other, and he
gives very gentle stroke-click, click,
clicki I say:
'Why don't you strike hardera"
''Oh'' he replies, shat would shatter
the statue. can't do it that way; must
do it this way.'
So he works on, and after awhile the
features come out, and everybody that
enters the studio is charmed and fasci-
mated.
Well, God has your soul under process
of development, and it is the little annoy
ances and vexations of life that are chisel-
ing out your immortal nature. 1t Is click,
click, click! / wonder why some great
providence does not come, and with one
stroke prepare you for heaven. All, no;
God says that is not the way. And so he
keeps on by strokes of little vexations,
until at last you shall be glad spectacle
for angels and for men.
You know that a large fortune may be
spent in small change, and vast amount
OF moral character may go away in small
depletion. 1t is the little troubles of life
that are having more effect upon you than
great ones. A smarm of locusts will kill
a grain field sooner than an incurslon Of
three or four cattle. You say:
'Since 1 lost my child, since I lost my
property, have been a different man."
But you do not recognize the architect
ure of little annoyances that are hewing,
digging, cutting, shaping, splitting and
interioining your moral qualities. Rats
send destruction through block of store
houses. Catherine de Medicis got her
death by smelling poisonous rose.
Columbus, by stopping aud asking for a
piece of bread and drink of water at a
Franciscan convent, was led to the dis
covery of new world. And there is an
intimate connection between trifles and
immensities, between nothings and every
things.
Now, be careful to let none Of those an
noyances go through your soul unarraign.
ed. Compel them to administer to your
spiritual wealth. The scratch of six
penny nail some times produces lockjaw,
and the clip of a most infnitesimal annoy
| ance may damage you forever. Do not
let any annoyance or perplexity come
across your soul without it's making you
better
Our National Government does not think
| it belittling to put tax on pins, and a tax
on buckles, and tax on shoes. TIE indi-
vidual taxes do not amount to much but
| in the aggregate millions and millions of
dollars. And l would have you,
Christian man, put high tariff
| on every annoyance and vexation
| that come through your soul. This
| might not amount to much in single cases,
| but, in the aggregate, it would be great
| revenue of spiritual strength and salts
| faction. A bee can suck honey even out
of a nettle; and if you have the grace OF
| God in your heart, you can get sweetness
out of that which would otherwise irri-
| tate and annoy.
| A returned missionary told me that a
| company Of adventures rowing up the
Ganges were stung to death by flies thai
/ infest that region at certain seasons.
have seen the earth strewed with car
| casses of men slain by insect annoyances
The only way to get prepared for the
| great troubles of life is to conquer these
small troubles. What would you say of 6
soldier who refused to load his gun, or to
go into the conflict because it was only a
| skirmish, saying:
81 am not going to expend my ammuni
ton on skirmish; wait until there comes
a general engagement, and then you will
see how courageous am and what bat
| Ting will do"
The General would say to such man:
'1f you are not faithful in skirmist
you would be nothing in general engage
ment."
And have to tell you, o Christian men
if you can not apply the principles Of
| IOiiSiOu Ou d SlldL SCdic, you VIII
never be able to apply them on large
scale.
If had my way with you I would hav
you possess all possible worldly prosper
ity. would have you each one garden
a river flowing through it, geranium!
and shrubs on the sides, and tn
grass and flowers as beautiful a
though the rainbow had fallen
would have you house, splendid man
sion, and the bed should be covered will
upholstery dipped in the setting sun
would have every hall in your house Sc
with statues and statuettes, and then
would have the four quarters of the glob
pour in all their Injuries on your table
and you should have forks Of silver an
knives of gold, inlaid with diamonds ant
amethysts. Then you should each one @
you have the finest horses and your pic
of the equipages of the world.
Then would have you live $50 years
and you should not have pain or achi
until the last breath.
s.Not each one of us?" you say.
Il Yes; each one of you.
"Not to your enemiesp
Yes; the only difference / would max
with them would be that would put lii
tie extra gilt on their walls and littl
extra embroidery on their slippers. Blu
. | Won saw.